Order-disorder transition in eicosylated polyethyleneimine comblike polymers

Order-disorder transition (ODT) behavior in eicosylated polyethyleneimine (PEI20C) comblike polymer obtained by grafting n-eicosyl group on polyethyleneimine backbone was systematically investigated by the combination of differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), wide-angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy as well as solid-state high resolution nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy. DSC investigations showed two obvious transitions, assigned to the transitions (1) from orthorhombic to hexagonal and (2) from hexagonal to amorphous phase, respectively. These transitions are induced by the variations of alkyl side chain conformation and packing structure with temperature changing, which consequently lead to the destruction of original phase equilibrium. The ODT behavior can also be confirmed by spectroscopic methods like WAXD, FTIR and NMR. The ordered structure and the transition behavior of the alkyl side chains confined by the PEI backbone are obviously different from those of pristine normal alkanes. The transition mechanism of ODT and the origin of the phase transition behavior in PEI20C comblike polymer were discussed in detail in this paper.

Singlet-triplet transition in quantum dots confined by triangular and bowl-like potentials: the effect of electric fields

We theoretically investigate the energy spectra of two-electron two-dimensional (2e 2D) quantum dots (QDs) confined by triangular potentials and bowl-like potentials in a magnetic field by exact diagonalization in the framework of effective mass theory. An in-plane electric field is,found to contribute to the singlet-triplet transition of the ground state of the 2e 2D QDs confined by triangular or bowl-like potentials in a perpendicular magnetic field. The stronger the in-plane electric field, the smaller the magnetic field for the total spin of the ground states in the dot systems to change from S = 0 to S = 1. However, the influence of an in-plane electric field on the singlet-triplet transition of the ground state of two electrons in a triangular QD modulated by a perpendicular magnetic field is quite small because the triangular potential just deviates from the harmonic potential well slightly. We End that the strength of the perpendicular magnetic field needed for the spin singlet-triplet transition of the ground state of the QD confined by a bowl-like potential is reduced drastically by applying an in-plane electric field.

Synthesis of GaN nanorods with vertebra-like morphology

GaN nanorods with vertebra-like morphology were synthesized by nitriding Ga2O3/ZnO films at 1000 degrees C for 20min. Ga2O3 thin films and ZnO middle layers were pre-deposited in turn on Si(111) substrates by r.f. magnetron sputtering system. In the flowing ammonia ambient, ZnO was reducted to Zn and Zu sublimated at 1000 degrees C. Ga2O3 was reducted to Ga2O and Ga2O reacted with NH3 to synthesize GaN nanorods in the help of the sublimation of Zn. The structure and morphology of the nanorods were studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), The composition of GaN nanorods was studied by energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and fourier transform infrared (FTIR) system.

CHARACTERISTICS OF THE MAGNETIC DEPOPULATION OF SUBBANDS IN VERY NARROW SYSTEMS

We present a model for electrons confined in narrow conducting channels by a parabolic well under moderate to high magnetic fields which takes into account a cutoff in the filling of the subbands. Such a cutoff gives rise to energy-separated subbands and a two-dimensional (2D) like subband depopulation, resulting in a relation between sublevel index n and inverse magnetic field B-1 such that in the high-field regime it changes over to the well-known 2D form as expected, and in the moderate field regime it shows pronounced deviation from linearity. This agrees well with the experimental results. The linear region of the n-B-1 experimental plot is believed to arise from the two dimensionality of the system. Calculations show that no resolvable 1D sublevel exists in the 0.5-mu-m-wide wire at very small magnetic fields (including zero field), which agrees qualitatively with the experimental results found in other wires that the Hall resistance, R(H), approaches its classical value B/n(e)e in this region and R(H) = 0 at B = 0, where n(e) is the electron concentration. In this model the linear and nonlinear regions in the experimental n-B-1 plot are used to extract the characteristic frequency omega-0, and the effective 2D electron concentration N(e)2D, respectively.

Di-nuclear systems studied with the velocity filter SHIP

Various nuclear reactions like quasi-fission, fusion-fission or particle and cluster evaporation from excited compound nuclei were studied in heavy-ion reactions at the velocity filter SHIP of GSI. The velocity filter offers the possibility to detect all reaction products under zero degree relative to the beam direction. Together with the measurement of the product velocity distribution this allows for an identification of the underlying reaction mechanism. This article is focussed on reactions of Mg-25 and Ni-64 beams on Pb-206,Pb-207 targets at energies of 5.9 x A MeV and 8.7 x A MeV. Besides evaporation residues from Mg-25 + Pb-206 collisions we found evidence for rotation and quasi-fission of nuclear molecules formed in the entrance channel after the capture stage. The break-up of the systems showed a preferred clustering leading to isotopes in the region 84 <= Z <= 88 and 122 <= N <= 127 of the chart of nuclei.

Environmentally friendly synthesis of highly monodisperse biocompatible gold nanoparticles with urchin-like shape

We report a facile and environmentally friendly strategy for high-yield synthesis of highly monodisperse gold nanoparticles with urchin-like shape. A simple protein, gelatin, was first used for the control over shape and orientation of the gold nanoparticles. These nanoparticles, ready to use for biological systems, are promising in the optical imaging-based disease diagnostics and therapy because of their tunable surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and excellent surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) activity.

Study of facilitated potassium ion transfer across a water vertical bar 1,2-dichloroethane interface using different phase volume ratio systems

A study of potassium ion transfer across a water \ 1,2-dichloroethane (W \ DCE) interface facilitated by dibenzo-18-crown-6 (DB18C6) with various phase volume ratio systems is presented. The key point was that a droplet of aqueous solution containing a redox couple, Fe(CN)(6)(3-)/Fe(CN)(6)(4-), with equal molar ratio, was first attached to a platinum electrode surface, and the resulting droplet electrode was then immersed into the organic solution containing a hydrophobic electrolyte to construct a platinum electrode/aqueous phase/organic phase system. The interfacial potential of the W \ DCE within the series could be externally controlled because the specific compositions in the aqueous droplet make the Pt electrode function like a reference electrode as long as the concentration ratio of Fe(CN)(6)(3-)/Fe(CN)(6)(4-) remains constant. In this way, a conventional three-electrode potentiostat can be used to study the ion transfer process at a liquid \ liquid (L \ L) interface facilitated by an ionophore with variable phase volume ratio (r = V-o/V-w). The effect of r on ion transfer and facilitated ion transfer was studied in detail experimentally. We also demonstrated that as low as 5 x 10(-8) M DB18C6 could be determined using this method due to the effect of the high phase volume ratio.